


Different Colors

by coffee666



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Color blind AU, Dry Humping, Episode: s03e17 Pusher, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Hotel Sex, Pusher - Freeform, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-18
Updated: 2015-12-22
Packaged: 2018-05-07 08:31:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5450114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffee666/pseuds/coffee666
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. Your entire life you only see black and white, until you receive the first touch from your soulmate and color blooms before your very eyes. The colors don't stay when you're alone, but when they're there by your side and you're touching? Everything is beautiful.</p><p>Scully never thought she'd see color --she was too busy with work to meet someone. Mulder was too busy looking up at the stars to look for a date. But when they get assigned to work together, everything looks a little more vibrant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Purple

**Author's Note:**

> what's up party people? I know you're probably like --where has she been?! Well, my laptop died. I recently fixed my old desktop to get some work done. Now I'm back with a little something. This is based on an au from tumblr that i thought was cute. 
> 
> Don't forget to kudos and review! You can also follow me on tumblr @canonmulder

“Wait until you see it Dana! Purple is my personal favorite.” Scully couldn’t bear to listen to Melissa ramble any longer. She gently placed the receiver back on the hook and sighed.

Color. It was such a strange concept. In fact, the challenge of explaining color to someone who’d never seen it before had become somewhat of a party game in today’s society.

A lot of people lived their whole lives without seeing color, and seemed perfectly fine with it. Others never stopped searching for their soul mate; that perfect someone who brought a strange new beauty into their world.

Scully had sort of accepted that she’d never see color, at least not anytime soon. She was so dedicated to her work at the bureau that she rarely went out anymore. Any dates she did go on were usually boring or the other person came on too strong. They always ended the same though; her shaking hands with the man, the most of them glancing around hoping to see…something.

Despite her contentment in a world of black and white, Scully couldn’t help but feel jealous that Melissa had found her soul mate. Scully was surprised that her sister had called her first before their mother, but grateful none the less. Only after hearing Melissa go from describing her new beau, to going on and on about purple did Scully finally have to hang up.

It wasn’t just from jealousy –no, she had a lot of work to do before tomorrow. She knew she was being called into a meeting tomorrow at work, but she couldn’t for the life of her think of what it could be about. It must be that they were assigning her to something big. This could finally be the work she’d been yearning for since she joined. The chance to really help someone and make a difference is what this job was all about.

She finished up one final report and hoped in the shower. She stepped out of the bathroom with her hair up in a towel and her robe on just as the phone was ringing. Fearing it was her sister again, she hesitated before answering.

“Dana?”

“Hi Mom.” Scully sighed with relief at her mother’s voice.

“Dana, didn’t you hear Missy’s good news?”

“Yea, Mom, she told me.” Scully groaned internally as she cradled the phone between her head and shoulder and walked to her bedroom to get dressed.

“Well she tells me that you took it hard. She says you hung up on her.”

“I did not.” The act of lying to her mother wasn’t new, but it still made her cheeks grow warm as if she were still a child. “There was a bad connection.”

“Don’t worry Dana, it’ll happen for you too. You know Charlie still hasn’t found his yet…” Mrs. Scully sounded sympathetic.

“I know, Mom. I’m not worried. I’m happy for Melissa.” Scully attempted to put on pajamas while still holding the phone. “I have a lot of work to do. Say hi to Dad for me.”

She hung up with another sigh and laid on her bed. Why was her mother acting like it was a big deal? She didn’t care. Who needed color, anyways? It all sounded like a big headache anyways.

***

Scully sat up straight in Chief Blevins’ office the next morning. He seemed to be surveying her in a strange sort of way. She hoped she was making a good impression; she could finally be given the assignment she’d always wanted.

They weren’t alone in his office. There was another government official there that Scully had never met before. He was smoking a cigarette. Despite her aversion to them, she didn’t dare ask him to put it out.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice.” Blevins said.

“No trouble.” Scully told him, her hands still folded tightly in her lap.

“You can relax, Agent Scully.” He smiled at her.

“Sorry, it’s just…well, this can either be good news or bad news.” She hoped he would ease her nerves by telling her it was good news. Instead he just shifted uncomfortably. That was not a good sign.

“Agent Scully, are you familiar with an agent named Fox Mulder?”

“Yes…” she blinked in surprise. She hadn’t heard that name in a while.

“How so?” He asked. This was doing nothing to ease her nerves.

“By reputation. He's an Oxford educated Psychologist, who wrote a monograph on serial killers and the occult, that helped to catch Monty Props in 1988. Generally thought of as the best analyst in the violent crimes section. He had a nickname at the academy... Spooky Mulder.”

At the mention of the nickname she smiles and her gaze flicks to the man smoking a cigarette. He doesn’t smile.

“Are you familiar with the X-Files?”

“I believe it has to do with unexplained phenomena?” Scully doesn’t like where this seems to be going. “That’s my assignment, isn’t it?” she asks without thinking. “You want me to work on that…with him?”

“Something like that.” Blevins sighs. “Not so much work as…unwork.”

“What do you mean?” her heart was racing just a tad.

“We want you to assist Mulder on these X-Files. You will write field reports on your activities, along with your observations on the validity of the work.”

“You want me to debunk his work? To discredit it?” A sinking feeling replaced all nerves. One of the worst things ever in this line of work was to be discredited. Could she really do that to his face?

“Not necessarily.” Blevins was adamant against admitting it. “We believe your scientific background will help bring a sort of…reality to your cases. You’ll want to contact Agent Mulder shortly. I look forward to reading your reports.”

***

The elevator stopped at the basement and Scully stepped out. Everything down here seemed greyer than usual –if that was even possible. She tried to hide her disappointment as she crossed the floor to the office door. Trailing after someone who was already way in over their head –only to turn and report their every activity –that was not the assignment she had hoped for.

She knocked on the door.

“Sorry, nobody down here but the FBI’s most unwanted.” A voice replied from within.

“Agent Mulder?” Scully opened the door and stepped inside. “I’m Agent Dana Scully, I’ve been assigned to work with you.”

“Really?” he glances up from the slides he’s working on. “Because I understand you’ve been sent to spy on me.”

“It’s not like that.” She doesn’t want him to think she was particularly excited about that bit.

“Well, isn’t it nice to suddenly be so highly regarded.” He stands up. “So, who’d you piss off to get stuck with this detail, Scully?”

“I told you it’s not like that. I’m actually looking forward to working with you.”

He looks at her in a strange sort of way. At first she thinks he’s trying to see if she’s lying, but then she realizes he’s just trying to get a rise out of her. She stares back; her serious gaze doesn’t betray the feeling of amusement inside.

“Well, let’s do our best to get the job done anyways.” He extends his hand and she shakes it.

A certain something seems to erupt before her eyes. It spreads out across the room and changes everything it touches. They don’t change in size or shape; but become brighter, more vibrant. It took her a moment to realize she was seeing color!

“Oh!” Scully instinctively draws her hand back from his. She can’t bear to look at him now. She just stares past him at the wall; her eyes trailing across the pictures and posters that were now filled with color.

“Holy shit.” Mulder takes off his glasses and gazes around the room; his eyes filled with wonder. “Well, isn’t this something…” He laughs.

She finally tears her eyes away from the wall and looks at him. He cracks a smile, and she knows it’s not funny, but she can’t help it –they both start laughing --Just laughing hysterically alone together in the basement office.

“I’m sorry –I don’t know why I’m laughing. It’s not funny.” She apologizes once she gains her composure.

“It’s not funny.” He agrees, though he’s still laughing. “Just very unexpected. You know, it’s a lot better than anyone said it would be.”

He crosses the room and starts shifting through all the papers on his desk, taking in the different colored inks and notes. She takes this moment to really look at him. He doesn’t seem spooky at all. In fact, he’s actually kind of cute –well, she should think that, considering they were apparently soul mates. The only thing odd was that he was wearing a blue tie. Normally people who couldn’t see color didn’t wear colored clothes because there was no point.

“I just feel bad for you, Scully.” He looks up again.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you must feel like you got the short end of the stick. You get stuck getting assigned to Spooky Mulder, and now he’s you’re soul mate too.”

“I don’t think you’re spooky.” She tells him. “In fact, I was serious when I said I was looking forward to working with you.” The thought of what she was really sent to do still nagged at the back of her mind.

“Oh, you’re just saying that because you’re my soul mate.” He laughs, and she finds it hard not to laugh as well.

“Not to ruin the mood, but we have to get to work.” She crosses her arms seriously. “Assistant Director Skinner said he was going to come down here and check on us.”

“Really? Who cares what old Skin-man says?” He starts prepping his slides nonetheless.

“Apparently you should. I hear he’s one of the only reasons you’re still around. He really believes in your work.” She hates to say that to him, but he needs to understand how vital is it that Skinner thinks they can do a good job.

“Correction, he believes in my abilities; not necessarily my work. Not a soul here really believes in what I do. Nobody believes in my true ambitious.”

“Which is…?” she was a little afraid to ask.

“Well, let me ask you. Do you believe in the existence of extraterrestrials?” he gives her an eerie look.

“Logically, I would have to say no.” he nods as if he was expecting that answer. “Given the distances needed to travel from the far reaches of space, the energy requirements would exceed a spacecraft's capabilities…”

“Sure, sure.” He says in a mocking tone before reaching over to poke her on the wrist.

“What are you doing?” she gasps as the colors brighten up again. She hadn’t even noticed that they’d begun to fade slightly.

“Just checking. I was wondering if the universe made some kind of mistake in pairing us up.”

“The universe doesn’t make mistakes like that.” She tells him despite the fact that he may have been joking. “But the bureau is going to think that if Skinner doesn’t we’re being professional.”

As if on cue, they could hear the elevator stop outside. Both of them glanced at the door.

“Right, let’s keep it professional. We don’t want him to reassign you.”

“But I just got assigned ten minutes ago.”

“I wouldn’t put it past them. Only heartless people work for the government.”

“You work for the government.” She reminds him.

“I know.” He smiles.

The door opens and Assistant Director Skinner is standing in the doorway. They both try to keep their composure as he looks between them.

“How are we getting along?” he asks, the question mostly directed at Scully.

“Everything’s fine, Sir.” Mulder speaks up. “In fact we’re looking forward to our first case.”

He looks between them suspiciously. Scully prays that he can’t since anything. Not only would it look bad on her records to be pulled from an assignment so soon, but she really was telling the truth when she said she’d been looking forward to working with Mulder.

“Alright, well take a look at this case file.” He handed a manila folder to Mulder. “If this comes out to anything, I want you two on it.”

“Yes sir.” Scully nods, hoping he’ll leave.

“Oh my god, is this purple!?” Mulder exclaims, staring at a paper in the folder.

“Mulder!” Scully gasps, turning to stare daggers at him.

“It’s purple, Scully!” he turns to show her the page. It is a beautiful color, but she doesn’t care about that now.

“Please don’t split us up, Sir.” Scully turns to Skinner. “I was really hoping to prove myself with this assignment.”

He doesn’t say anything for a moment. He just looks between Scully and Mulder, who was now holding the folder up in front of his face to hide his smile. Scully didn’t think there was much to laugh about.

“I’m not going to split you up.” Skinner said finally. “But that’s only because I think you two would do a good job together. Don’t make me regret this decision.”

“You won’t, Sir.” Mulder says after finally regaining his composure.

“Good.” He nods. “I expect you both bright and early tomorrow to go over that case. And remember –professional.”

“Right.” They both nod.

Skinner gives them one last look before leaving the office. They wait until they hear him get in the elevator before turning to look at each other –and then they can’t help it – they start laughing again.

“It’s not funny. You almost ruined everything!” Scully says through giggles.

“I know, I know. I’m sorry.” Mulder shakes his head. “It was an accident. It won’t happen again. This is now a strictly professional setting.”

“Good. Now let me see that.” Their fingers touch as he passes the folder to her. She’s very aware once more of the purple page sticking out.

“Watch it, Scully.” Mulder lowers his voice. “We can’t get distracted.”

“I’m not.” She flips through the contents of the folder, keeping her head down to hide her blush.

“Well, just in case, I think we should lay down a very important ground rule.”

“Which is?” she only looked up again out of shock at his next words.

“Absolutely no touching.”

This was going to be a very long assignment.

 

 


	2. Red and Green

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulder and Scully are sent to pursue Robert Patrick Modell --a man that can push his will onto others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another chapter and all that. It's almost 1 am whoops lol. Anyways, don't forget to review and kudos. Follow me on tumblr @canonmulder

Everything was black and white again by the time Scully got home. She tossed her keys onto the coffee table and flopped onto the couch. She and Mulder had made minimal progress on the case that day.

What had started out as bantering over the details in a way that could only be described as flirting, it had quickly escalated into an argument. They didn’t even have all the details on how the subject died, other than that it was self-inflicted. Mulder seemed to believe that wasn’t enough.

“It can’t be a simple suicide, Scully.” Mulder insisted. “That’s too easy.”

“Why is that so easy?” she had trouble getting inside his head and thinking the way he did. Little did she know, that was almost impossible.

“These are X-Files. They’re not supposed to be easy.” He shook his head.

The subject in question had been a police officer. He’d sped straight into an oncoming truck and was killed. His partner in the passenger seat and the man being arrested in the back seat were both unharmed.

“It couldn’t have been the man in the back?” Scully asked. “In an attempt to escape?”

“Nope. Though he did escape, the partner said he was handcuffed the whole time.”

Mulder had decided that they wouldn’t get anywhere without more information. He’d put in a request for them to view the body, but that wouldn’t go through until tomorrow. Scully wasn’t complaining; she was beat.

Scully still couldn’t believe that Mulder was supposed to be her soulmate. He was so…well, hard to figure out. A lot of times, he said things and it took her a minute to decide if he was joking or not. She didn’t know how some people got away with getting married so soon after meeting their soulmate. Even if it was fate, you still didn’t know the person.

She’d started to doze off, but opened her eyes when her phone rang. She decided to screen the call and make sure it wasn’t her mother.

“Dana? Pick up…” it was Melissa. “Dana….”

Scully sat up, a hand hovering over the receiver. She debated whether to answer or not. She decided it was only fair. After all, Melissa had told her her good news before telling anyone else. It was only fair that scully did the same.

“Yeah.” She snatched up the phone.

“Oh hey, I was just about to leave a message.”

“I just walked in while it was ringing.” Scully lied to her sister with ease.

“Well, anyways, I was just gonna say that Roger was telling me that he wanted all of us to go out to dinner sometime. Wouldn’t that be fun?” she sounded so enthusiastic that Scully felt bad about having to reject.

“I don’t know, I mean, he sounds great and everything…but I have work.”

“Mom is right when she says you work too much.” Melissa grumbled. “People get cancer from working too hard, you know.”

“I thought I was the doctor, here.” Scully smiled, finding ease in teasing her sister.

“Is it because you feel like you’ll be a third wheel? Cuz trust me, Roger talks enough to be like two people on his own!” Melissa laughed.

“Listen…” Scully didn’t know how to approach the subject. “It…happened today.”

“What happened?” It was only more nerve-wracking to hear how serious her tone suddenly got.

“I met…him today.” Scully had to hold the phone away from her ear at her sister’s response.

“Oh my god, Dana! Who is he? What’s he like?”

“He’s…I don’t know.” She finished lamely.

“You don’t know? What the hell does that mean?”

“He’s…I don’t know. It’s complicated. I mean, we work together.”

“So?” Melissa didn’t sound at all convinced.

“So, it’s this big assignment. This could finally be my chance to distinguish myself in the bureau. We’re supposed to work together on this case. We agreed that nothing can happen.”

“So that’s it? The FBI can’t do that to you. There’s got to be a law against it.”

“We decided it on our own.” Scully was surprised at how angry Melissa sounded. “Like I said, I want this case to go well.”

“So, you’re gonna work together, but you’re not gonna get together?”

“Or touch each other.” Scully blushed when Melissa started laughing.

“It’s like a bad rom com! You’ve got to keep me posted on what goes on. So, what did you think of color? Pretty bitchin’ right?”

“It was…really amazing.” Scully laughed.

“Purple was the best, right?”

“Well, Mulder really liked it. But he said green was his favorite. I think I like red best though.”  

“Mulder? What kind of name is that?”

“Shut up, Melissa.” Her sister only laughed in response.

“Roger is on the other line, I gotta go.” She was still laughing. “I’ll call you back.”

“Oh, you don’t have to call back –“ Scully was starting to remember why she always hung up first.

Melissa hung up and Scully laid the phone back down. She changed into pajamas and laid down to watch tv.

She couldn’t help but wonder what tv looked like in color. Even if she could see it now, she only paid for the black and white cable package.  As much as society tried to make them equal, people who saw color always seemed to act like they lived much happier lives. They had special movies and clothes that only they could fully understand.

Scully hadn’t even realized that she’d fallen asleep until the phone was ringing again. Fearing her sister’s long winded message, she quickly snatched up the phone.

“I told you not to call me.” She growled.

“…Sorry.” The voice on the other end sounded like it was laughing.

“Mulder?” Scully sat up straighter. “How did you get my number?”

“The phone book.” He laughs again. “Is this a bad time?”

“No, no…I just thought you were my sister.” Scully shifts, crossing her legs. “What’s up? Is something wrong?”

“Yea, I think so…”

“W-what is it?” She hasn’t expected that answer.

“I was just thinking how I wish I was watching tv in color.”

“That’s so weird, I was just thinking the same thing.” She tells him, relief in her voice that it wasn’t something serious.

“I mean, I know old Twilight Zone episodes are always in black and white, and maybe that’s a good thing. I wouldn’t want to see this in color.”

She turns the tv to the same channel and smiles. It’s an episode she’s seen before. She remembers how this show used to scare her, now she just finds it funny. Especially considering it’s an episode with aliens.

“Do you think we’re doing the right thing?” his voice snaps her attention back from the tv.

“What do you mean?” for the first time all day, she thinks she does know what he means.

“Being all…professional.”

“You said –“

“I know what I said.” He cuts in. “I just said that because this case seems really important to you. But I just wanna know…”

“Hm…”

“How important?”

Scully mutes the tv.

“Pretty important.” She says with a sigh. “I mean, this is the first time they’re giving me something real. And you heard Skinner say he thinks we could do a good job.”

“Okay, but what about after?”

“After…?”

“After we solve the case, can I ask you out?”

“Mulder—“

“It’s just a yes or no question.”

“Fine. Okay. Yes.” She’s so glad she’s alone and no one could see how flustered she is.

“Good. I’ll be eagerly awaiting it.” He laughs again.

“But until then…” she warns, her cheeks still warm.

“Until then it’ll be all professional.”

“Good. Okay, see you tomorrow.” She tells him.

“Wait, one more thing.” He says.

“What?”

“Has anyone ever told you that you look really good in color?”

“Bye, Mulder.” Scully hangs up.

***

She got to the office early the next morning, coffee in hand. She opened the door and was surprised to find Mulder was already there. He was on the floor, fiddling with the cords to the projector.

“What time did you get here?” she asked him. “Have you been here all night?”

“No, just since six.” He sounded agitated. “I just can’t get this damn thing to turn on!”

Scully sat her coffee on his desk and started going through the file once more.

“Any news on our suicide?” She asked.

“Sort of.” He sounded muffled from down there. “They sent someone over to look at the body, and everything was consistent with death by car crash.”

“But you still don’t think it was suicide?”

“Nope. I’m still not convinced. And neither is Skinner.”

“You talked to Skinner this morning?” Scully sipped her coffee.

“Yeah, he said that the local police had a lead –damn!” Mulder swore as the socket sparked. He quickly unplugged everything.

“So, what? Local police arrest their lead and that’s it? We pat ourselves on the back for doing nothing?”

“No, no. It’s more complicated than that. It’s an X-File after all.” Mulder sighed.

“Do you want some help?” Scully asked, somewhat amused.

“All these damn wires look like same. If only I could see in color…”

“Nice, try.” She smirked.

“I’m not kidding. I have no idea what I’m doing.” He sighed again.

“Let me see.” She got up and peered over his shoulder. “Switch those two wires.”

“Which ones? These?”

“No, those…” they reach at the same time, their hands brushing.

Scully gasped as the room filled with color again. She quickly draws back, turning away from him and crossing her arms over her chest. She can’t look at him now, not in color…

“Got it!” he exclaimed. “Take a look at that.”

Scully reluctantly turned to see the image that was now on the projector screen. It was a mug shot of a man.

“Who’s that?” she asked.

“His name is Robert Patrick Modell. He’s the lead. –the man who’d been sitting in the back seat.”

“Wait, I thought you said he couldn’t have done it because he was handcuffed?”  Scully asked.

“That’s what we thought –until Skinner said they interviewed the Deputy who’d been in the passenger seat. He said that they’d arrested Modell for a series of killings that were made to look like suicides. Well, they were suicides, but Modell made them do it.”

“So Modell made the cop kill himself? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“It’s pretty…spooky.” Mulder smiled, and Scully hated herself for loving it.

“Scully, Mulder.” Scully jumped at the sound of Skinner’s voice. They turned to see him in the doorway.

“Morning sir. You look especially colorful today.” Mulder nodded.

“Oh my god…” Scully mumbled, going to sit down at the desk.

“There’s a problem.” His face was serious.

“What’s up?” Mulder’s voice lost all playful notions.

“Modell escaped.” Skinner sighed. “Two local cops went to arrest him, and they were later found dead by their own weapons.”

Scully and Mulder exchanged looks.

“What does this mean?” Scully stood up again.

“It means we have a man at large. It means the FBI can’t just watch this case from afar anymore.” Skinner looked between them again. “Local police said they needed two agents out there as soon as possible.”

Despite the fact that Scully had never done anything of the sort before, she immediately saw the chance for something good in the eyes of her superiors. Mulder, however, was apprehensive.

“It’s not safe.” Mulder said quickly. “Scully’s never done anything like this.”

“Hey, don’t worry about me!” Scully snapped, embarrassed that Mulder would talk about her as if she were somehow weaker in front of Skinner.

“I know she hasn’t, but you have.” Skinner spoke directly to Mulder. “You’re the best at this. If anyone can find out how Modell is doing this, what makes him tick –you can.”

The look of gratitude at being praised was not invisible to anyone in the room.

“Pack your bags.” Skinner said. “The two of you leave for Virginia tomorrow morning.”

Silence fell over the two after Skinner left the room

“Well…” Mulder said, breaking it. “I think my weekend just got a lot more colorful.”

 

 


	3. Cerulean Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulder tries to help Scully relax while on the case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Watch out for adult content, kids! Also don't forget to review and kudos. Also follow me on tumblr @canonmulder

Scully hated plane rides. She knew they statistically safer than cars, but still. Mulder was the exact opposite. He enthusiastically took the window seat and gazed out happily as the plane began to take off.

“Imagine this view in color…” he said, turning to her.

Scully didn’t respond. She just squeezed her eyes shut and waited for it to be all over.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked seriously.

She didn’t think she should open her mouth. She just nodded, her eyes still shut. 

“You wanna hold my hand?” he asked, his voice once again had that teasing tone.

Scully opened her eyes slightly and saw that his hand was only inches away from her own. She’d keep that in mind in case they hit turbulence.

And they did hit turbulence. Scully gripped his hand tightly, and kept her eyes closed, unable to even enjoy the colors. Mulder seemed to understand, and tried to distract her with details on the case.

“When we get there,” he started. “We’re gonna talk to the police officer who’d been riding shotgun. Maybe he can tell us something about Modell, okay?”

She nodded, relaxing slightly. As the ride smoothed out, she finds it possible to open her eyes again. Though, she still held his hand the rest of the ride –just in case.

***

“I can only tell you what I told everyone else.” The police officer said. The three of them sat in a restaurant booth. Scully stirred her coffee, surprised to find that something that tasted so good was actually brown.

“But how did Modell do it? He didn’t touch your partner?” Mulder asked.

“No, like I said he was handcuffed. But he kept talking to Mark –my partner. He kept talking to him about cerulean.”

“Cerulean?” Scully asked.

“You know, cerulean blue? Like, the color?” the officer explained.

“Yeah, yeah, the color.” Mulder said quickly. “But that’s it?”

“Yea. Next thing I know, Mark speeds into a truck.”

Scully turns to Mulder. He seems in deep thought. He looks up suddenly.

“Was the truck blue?” Mulder asked.

“Oh, uh…maybe? I don’t know. I can’t see color.” The officer shrugged.

“Could Mark see color?” Mulder sounded as if he was onto something.

“Yeah, that’ why they partnered us up.”

“Was Mark married? Did he wear a wedding band?”

“Yeah? Why?”

“Mulder, what are you thinking?” Scully asked.

“What if Modell saw that the officer was wearing a wedding band, and that he could see color…and he used that to hypnotize him?”

“Maybe…Like I said, we’d already arrested him for those other murders. He had to have done it somehow, and your guess is as good as mine.”

***

“Mulder, that’s not how hypnotism works.” Scully sighed.  “A person has to want to be hypnotized for it to work.”

The two of them were in a hotel room now. They had all of the information on the case spread out on the table, but so far Mulder was sticking to his theory.

“How else do you explain it?” he laid down across the bed, only inches from where Scully sat cross-legged. “You know what Modell was called before he was arrested? Pusher –because he could literally push his will onto other people.”

Scully didn’t want to argue that that wasn’t possible, after all, how else had Modell made all those other people kill themselves, including the officer? Still, there had to be something else that they were overlooking.

“Give me your hand.” Mulder said, holding out his.

“…Why?”

“I just wanna see if the truck is blue.” He explained, holding up a photo they’d gotten from the crash site. Along with some photos of Modell’s apartment, they’d also gotten Modell’s hospital records.

Scully reluctantly slipped her hand into his and color filled the room.

“Yep. Cerulean.” Mulder put the photo back in the file and laid down again. “There’s gotta be some way that Modell is able to do this with just his words…some supernatural power of some kind.”

All of his words seemed to run together, making it hard for her to listen. Her head is pounding. She reached up and rubbed her temples.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yea, just stressed.” She sighed.

“You thought this would be easier, right?” Mulder laughed.

“No. I don’t know.” She closed her eyes. There had to be a scientific explanation for this. He was going on about supernatural powers –he had to be as tired as she was.

“I know what you need.” He said quietly. Though her eyes were closed, she felt the bed springs shift and he moved to sit behind her. She opened her eyes when she felt his hands on her shoulders.

“…What are you doing?” she asked, thankful that he couldn’t see her blushing.

“You need to relax…” he told her as he began working her shoulder with his hands.

“Mulder…” she subconsciously loosens up under his touch. “We’re supposed to be professional.”

“This is professional…this is just me helping my partner out.” He said, his fingers kneading into her muscles. “…And no one else is here, Scully.”

She knew if she really wanted, she could just get up and go to her own room next door. It was like Melissa said, there was no law against them being together. They’d hit a roadblock with the case, and there was no point in stressing over it now.

Or maybe that’s just the excuse she told herself. Maybe it was for her own selfish reasons that she didn’t stop him when it went from him rubbing her shoulders to something more.

She felt him brush her hair aside, exposing her neck. Ever so lightly, she could feel the ghost of his mouth hovering just above her skin.

“Mulder…” she whispered, her voice only betraying how much she wants this.

“…You can tell me to stop.” He whispered, his breath sending shivers across her skin.

She doesn’t, she only cries out softly when she feels his tongue swipe across her skin. It’s gentle like that at first, just his lips and tongue gently gliding over her neck.

 She’s completely gone now, her head tilted back against him, with his mouth on her neck. Only when she feels his teeth clamp down, does she cry out again.

“…S-stop.” She barely gets the word out before he does. He draws back from her completely, his hands leaving her shoulders.

Scully turns around to face him, her hands sliding up on either side of his face. They’re so close, and in color for the first time. His pupils are blown wide, with only the faint green irises visible. Her eyes drop to his mouth, and when his tongue darts out to lick his lips, that does it for her.

She kisses him roughly. After two days of him teasing her with every excuse to touch, it’s her turn now. It feels so good to slide her hands around his face and neck and into his hair. It’s not at all like kisses in movies. This is greedy and hungry. She can feel his tongue sliding against hers, drawing out breathy moans in return.

When they break for air, she curses her body’s need for oxygen. His forehead it pressed against hers, both of them gasping.

“What…happened…to p-professional?” he gasps, a smile tugging at his lips.

“Shut up, Mulder.” She says, before grabbing him in another kiss.

And there’s a burning need in her for closeness. The kind of closeness that doesn’t come from holding hands or even kissing. But even though it burns like fire, she can’t now. They deserve more than just some stolen moments during down time on a case. But that doesn’t stop her from emulating it.

She pulls him on top of her completely. With their bodies pressed together, it’s still not enough. She wraps her arms around his back and rocks her hips up towards him. They both groan in both frustration and pleasure, eager to lose themselves in this new found closeness. It’s still not enough to satisfy their true needs for each other, but for now it would have to do.

It’s chaste only in the sense that their clothes stay on. In every other sense, it’s lustful and dirty. They grind against each other, Mulder’s mouth not leaving the hollow expanse of her throat. Scully is screaming –she never knew she was a screamer, but apparently she was.

There’s a silent understanding between them, that this is as far as it can go, so it has to last. Yet, it doesn’t. They’re like springs wound tight –a winding that started the second they met. Between layers of fabric, their grinding finds release. He groans her name against her skin as he comes. Scully actually goes silent as she does, her fingers twisted in the fabric of his shirt.

Colors pop before her when she opens her eyes. He’s still on top of her, breathing heavy against her skin. She doesn’t want him to move. It’s comforting, just the two of them breathing, their hearts hammering against the other’s chest.

“So, was that professional enough, or?” Mulder breaks the silence.

“Get off me.” Scully laughs, shoving him off.

She just wants to sleep. Actually, she just wants a glass of water (her throat is dry from all the screaming) and then she wants to sleep. She groans when the phone rings.

“That’s probably a noise complaint.” Mulder said, sitting up.

“That’s not funny.” She said, blushing. She smiles nevertheless.

“I’m not kidding.” He reaches for the phone. “You were pretty loud.”

A look of seriousness crosses his face as he listens to the person on the other end of the line. After a minute, he hangs up.

“What is it?” she asks, sensing something was wrong.

“It was the police.” Mulder said. “They think they found Modell.”


End file.
